Portable antenna



Nov. 6, 1945. I so 2,388,287

I ORTABLE ANTENNA Filed Feb. 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1945- A. G. RICHARDSON I 7 2,338,287

- PQRTA LE ANTENNA I Filed Feb. 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q 1210mm Patented Nov. 6, 1945 UNI-TED p GFFICE.

i a 2,888,287 W PORTABLE ANTENNA 4 Avery. G..Richardson,.Boont'ong N. J2, assignor to Federal Telephone and Radio: Gorporation, Newark, N. J acorporation of Delaware Application February 27, 1943;, Serial No. 3 Claims. (C1,.248r-19231.

- i i .1 This invention relates to portableantennae and more. particularly to readily portable supports for antennae. for field use. g

It. often. necessary to provide portableantennae which may be easily set up in the field. An

example of. such use is in. the. provision of portable direction finders for military use. When these antennae are of the Adcock type, the separate monopoles-must be easily mounted inthe field so that little time is lost in setting up the antenna for use. For this purposetrip-od supports may be used. v i

It: is aprincipalobject of my. invention to pro- Videa. rigid. tripod support which may. be easily andquickly set up in the. field.

It isa further. object. of. my invention toprovide a tripod support which will permit mounting. of

theantienna above the ground. so. that: coupling units maybe readily connected to thelower end ofthe antenna.

It is a still. further object of; my provide a tripod mounting. which; willform a relatively rigidsupport for the antenna and will provide for bracing against the effects of lateralforcessuch-aswind. c

Itis. a still. further object of my invention to provide a simple fastening; unit for securingthe parts' of the; antenna support structure inposition.

According: to; a: feature of vide a plurality of base rods" adapted tobe fastened together in theformofa closed geometric figure,- a. plurality of antenna support. adapted to. be fastened at: the"; corners or the closed figureat one end and at their other ends fastened together. forming an openpyramid. to support the weight ot thea-ntenna structure and asecond set of 'bracerod's also adapted tube: fastened atthe cornersof the closed figure atone end and fastened together at the other end to form a second open pyramid which will serve'to brace the antenna against lateral displacement. To fasten together the base rods, the support rods and the basev rods, I provide at each apex, an arrangement which will serve to fasten the various members and retain them in place against tension and/or compression stresses as the case may be. All the rods are preferably of insulating material such as wood.

A better understanding. of my invention and the objects and features thereof may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a simplified diagrammatic showing inventionto my invention} pro.- l

llustrating the disposition of." an antenna support and. antenna in. accordance withmy invention;v Y Fig. 2is afront plane view oifa specific structural' embodiment. of an antenna and supportiin accordance with my invention).

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaiyenlarged' view of the antenna weight supporting portion of-Fig; 2i; and

Fig.4 is an enlarged exploded view in perspective of the rod retaining means of Fig. 2.

Turning first to Fig. l, 8 is a rod" antenna adaptedfto be supported'i'n the. verticalfbya supporting structure. supporting, structure comprises'three base rods I'll, l1. and" I 2 fastened together at l3, l4 andlfi to form a triangle; A set of antenna support rods each longer than half the length of the base rods are" provided at I6,

I! and l'8,.these rods being fastened at one end longer than the median linefrom th apex of the triangle to the center thereof, sothat' when in position they outline a pyramid. 0nthe underside of' support plate 19 is provided bracketl'l which mayserve tomount the antenna; coupling unit. Antenna 8 is supported and fastened to plate l9 which forces the rods I'B; IT and 18 to carry theweight of the antenna so that they are normally under compression; This weight, however; tends toforceapart rods l0; N- and [2 so, at the corners, these rod's'must be retainedinpositionagainst tension:

'I'o brace the antenna against lateral displacement and also-hold it in avertical position, Iprovide three antenna brace rods 20; 2-land" 22 each longer than the antenna support rods and fastened at one end to apic'es' l3; l4 and IS-a-nd at their other'ends connected'togetherby antenna bracing means 23-. Antennabracing means 23 may comprise a platewit-h acentrally positioned hole through which the antenna-rod 8 may be inserted. At each apex of the triangle are' provided adjusting means 24,}.5 and 2B- which may serve to adjust the height ofthe antenna at any one corner to level up the structure.

A more complete understanding thereof of a particular embodiment of my invention may be had by reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 in which corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding elements of the system. In order to support rods [0, ll, 12, I6, l1, I8, 20, 2|, and 22 at the apices of the triangular base, I provide at each corner a supporting structure designated generally at 24. This structure comprises a unitarystructure including hollow arms 40 and 4| arranged in a common plane and at an angle to one another equal to the angle between the sides of the triangular base. In the case of a tripod support this angle should preferably be 60. In each of arms 40 and 4| are provided bayonet slot 43 and respectively, for detachably retaining the base rods in position against tension. At the apex of the angle formed by arms and 4| is provided a'third hollow arm 42. This hollow arm is preferably arranged in a plane bisecting the angle of the triangle and at a pref determined vertical angle depending on the length of antenna support rods l5, l1 and I8. |A bayonet slot 45 is designed to retain the antenna support rods in position against compression as provided in each of the members 42. 4

A plate member 46 is bent in a substantial J form to fit over arms 40 and 4| and is fastened thereto. To this plate 46 is fixeda fourth hollow arm 4'! adapted to be mounted in the same plane as arm 42 but at a greater vertical angle depending on the length of brace rods 20, 2| and 22. Arm 41 is provided with a bayonet slot 48 to retain the rods in position against tension and compression so that the structure will resist lateral displacement. A threaded rod 50 terminating in a foot member 5| is provided to adjust the height of the unit for the purpose of leveling the antenna. Once this adjustment has been made, the element may be locked in place by means of a screw member 52 mounted on a strip 49 and bearing against a vertical portion of plate 46.

The other ends of rods l6, I1 and I8 are detachably secured to antenna support I9 as can more clearly be seen in the enlarged view of Fig. 3. This antenna support means comprises a plate member 30 to which is fastened a cylindrical extension 3| provided at its upper end with a clamping member 32 for holding antenna 10 in position. Depending from plate 30 are three lugs 33, 34 and 35.. At the end of each rod I6, I! and I8 is provided a respective bifurcated portion 36, 3'! and 38, which fit over lugs associated 33, 34 and 35 and is held in pins 60,6l and 62. V

The other ends of brace rods 20, 2| and 22 are similarly fastened to antenna bracing plat 23 the details of which are omitted since-they are rods arranged in the form of a triangle, three supp'ort rods, each longer than a median line from an apex of said triangle to the center thereof, and adapted to be fastened at one end at a corresponding apex of said triangle and fastened together at their other ends to form a pyramidshaped antenna support, three brace rods each longer than said support rods, and adapted to be fastened at one end at a corresponding apex of said triangle and fastened together at their other ends toform a pyramid-shaped antenna brace, fastening means at each apex of said triangle for fastening said rods, comprising a unitary member having two hollow arms extending at an angle corresponding to the angle between the sides of said triangle and provided with tension resisting slots for detachably retaining said base rods in place by means such as substantially the same as those illustrated in Fig.

3} Plate 23, however, is not provided with an antenna supporting means to carry theweight of the antenna but instead merely has a centrally arranged opening 62 through which the antenna I 0 may be passed.

It is clear that the structure in accordance with my invention provides a rigid antenna support in which all of the parts are readily detachable for storage. It should be understood, however, that although the tripod support is preferable, any suitable supporting means may be used and the antenna base may be in the form of a square or other rectilinear figure.

While I have described above the principles of position, and a third hollow arm provided with a compression resisting bayonet slot for detachably retaining said support rods in position, and extending at a given angle to the plane defined by said two hollow arms, and having a fourth hollow arm member attached to said unitary member, provided with a bayonet slot for retaining said brace rods in position and extending at a predetermined anglegreater than said given angle in the same plane as said third hollow arm.

2. An antenna support according to claim 1, in combination with adjustable support means fastened to said unitary member on the side opposite to said third and fourth arms for adjusting the level of said antenna support.

3. A fastening means for retaining in position at a common point a pair of base rods extending in a given plane at a predetermined angle, and a support rod and a'brace rod extending in a common plane at respectively different angles' to said given plane, comprising a unitary member having two hollow arms extending at said predetermined angle and provided with tension resisting bayonet slot for detachably retaining said base rods in position, and a third hollow arm provided with a compression resisting bayonet slot for detachably retaining-said support rods in position and extending in said common plane at an angle to said given plane and having a fourth hollow arm member attached to .said unitary member, provided with a bayonet slot for retaining said brace rods in position and extending in said common plane ata predetermined angle to said predetermined plane greater than said given angle.

AVERY G. RICHARDSON. 

